Electrical distribution system.



P. H. THOMAS.

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION S YSTEM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8,1905.

Patented Dee 29, 1908.

UNITED 'sTA'rEs ATENr OFFICE.

PERCY H. THOMAS, OF MONTOLAIR, NEW

JERSEY, ASSIGNOR To COOPER HEW'ITTELEGTRIO COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, PEEcY H. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, and'resident oi Montclair, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Distribution Systems, of which the following is a specification;

The object of the resent invention is to provide means where ya circuit containing translating devices may maintain a uniform and unvarying potential when" affected by the current from a source of variable electrical supply.

As a convenient and suitable auxiliary means for accomplishing the described result, I may make use of the qualities of the mercury vapor apparatuswhich, as is well-known, is not affected as regards its voltage by the current flowing through it. By connecting such a mercury vapor device across the supply circuit mains in series with a resistance and placin the circuit containing the translating devices in shunt,

to the mercury va or apparatus, I produce a system in whic supply circuit do not vary the voltage of the translatin or receiving circuit, as a circuit taken in shunt to the mercury vapor apparatus, arran must take the voltage of t e said apparatus.

A simple embodiment of my invention is illustrated 1n the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, where1n-- 1 and 2 represent sup ly mains connected with a source (not s own) of variable electrical sup 1y. Across the mains I connect a con uctor, 3, connected with a mercury vapor device, 4, and a resistance, 5'. In shunt to the va or device is a circuit, 6, in which are place translatin or receiving devices, 7, 7, of any suitable c aracter;

The vapor device 4 is of well-known construction comprising a hermetically sealed container, 8, and electrodes, 9 and'lO, connected, respectively, with lead-wires, 11 and 12. The positive electrode 9 may be of solid material such as iron and the negative electrode 10 is of mercury. 1

It is a well-known characteristic of vapor apparatus of this kind that its voltage remains constant under wide variations of current. -With the connections described, it 1s evident that the circuit 6 and the trans- Specification of Letters Patent Serial No. 231,856. Divided and this application filed June 8, 1905.

Serial No. 264,215.

the variations of 'the' inasmuch ed as described,

Patented Dec. 29, 1908 lating devices included therein will receive the same voltage as the device 4 and consequently that a constant potential will be .maintained in the circuit 6.

Any other device havmg tions of current may be substituted for the mercury vapor drawing. The function of the resistance 5 is that of taking up, the residual voIta'ge traversingthe circuit between themains.

In another application Serial Number- 231,856, filed November 8, 1904',

of which this application is a division, claims are made upon the method described herein.

' I am aware capable of automatic mechanical movement for the pur oses of maintaining constant potential un er changes of current, but, so far as I know, no one prior to the date of my invention has utilized for the purposes described herein a device having the inherent property of maintaining a constant potential lndependent of the currentchanges. Such a device as that herein described is sensitive in a degree quite beyond anything that is (possible with the mechanical'devices referre to.

I claim as my invention:- 1. In a system of electrical distribution, ,mains connected with a-source of variable electrical supply,

ductor spanning the said mains and containing a device having the inherent characteristic of maintainingconstant voltage under changes of current, a rece1v 1ng'c1rcu1t connected 1n shunt upon the said devlce, and a the characteristic of malntainmg a uniform voltage under varladevice 4 illustrated in the,

that it has been proposed to utilize in somewhat similar relations devicesin combination with a conresistance in series included in the circuit across the mains.

2. In a system of electrical distribution,

mains =ohnected with a source of variable in combination with a conductor spanning the saidmains-andcontaining a vapor device having the characteristic of maintaining constant voltage under the changes of current, and a receiving circuit connected in shunt upon the said device, and

electric 1 supply,

a resistance in' series included in the circuit across the mains.

. 3. In a system of electrical distribution the combination with variable otential busbars, a path across said busare including a vapor device comprising a hermetically sealed and'completely exhausted container and a plurality of electrodes, one at least ofwhich is a vaporizable reconstructing cathode and a resistance in series therewlth, together with a work circuit connected to the terminals of the vapor device.

4. In a system of electrical distribution the combination with variable otential busbars, a path across said busars including a vapor device comprising a hermetically sealed and completely exhausted container and a plurality of electrodes, one at least of which 1s a vaporizable reconstructing cathi ode and a device adapted to absorb increas ing amounts of voltage with increasing our- I rent in series therewith, together with a Work J circuit connected to the terminals of the vapor device.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 5th day of June, A. D. 1905.

PERCY H. THOMAS Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, GEORGE H. STocKBRIDGE. 

